Casting of curved stereotype printing-plates.



:0. W. JONES.

CASTING 0F GURVED STEREO'I fYPE PRINTING PLATES.

APPLmATioN FILED APR.18, 1906;

' Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

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4 SHEETS- a i nww UNITED STATES PATENT orsron...

DAVID wacnns, or TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORTO CAMPBELL PnrN'rrNG PRESS & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CASTING F OURVED STEREOTYPE PRINTING-PLATES.

are. 911,882.

, Patented ees, 1909.

Application-filed Apri1'18, 1906. Serial No. 812,420.

To all whom it may coneem; l 3e it known that 1, DAVID W. Jones, a citizen ofthe United. States, residing at 'Taunton, inthe countyof-Bristol and Stat o b 5 of Massachusetts, have invented now an useful Improvements Belating to the Casting of Curved Stereotype PrintingPlates, of

' which the following -1S aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in casting stereotype plates, articularly the send-cylindrical plates, Whic aroused upon rotary printing presses. As is well known, such plates are cast from a matrix which is prepared from a form of type and which matrix is :fixed into semi-cylindrical shape and placed in 'a' curved casting box to form one Wall thereof, each cast being made so that its convex face will be formed from said matrix, whereby-said face will be a replica of tlfie fiat form of type in semi-cylindrical -s ape.

Y After the cylindrical plate or .cast has been made, it is necessary to finish the same up accurately so that the plate can be applied to the cylinder of the rotary printing press. The plate is finished by cutting 'ofi from its curved end the long riser or piece which is usually left at the top of the mold so as to obtain a hydrostatic pressure in the mold as the cast solidifies. he convex surface or back of the plate is finished by being out out or scraped out by a revolving knife so as to be truly cylindrical. Where the plate or castis made in an ordinary hand-box, it is 5 not customary to machine-up the two straight edges of the plate, these edges being usually finished up by the stereotyper by usingla plane or othertools.

W en the 40 machine, sue as the well-known autoplate, it is customary to saw or finish the straight edges of the plate In usinghand" boxes, this planing or finishing down of the straight edges of the'plate is objectionable as it consumes much valuable time and in the automatic casting machines it has beenfound difficult to saw or trim ofi thestraight edges of the plate so that hand finishin or touch ing up is not requisite. It would be an ex? '50 tremely advantageous operation if the plate could be cast so that finishing alongits straight edges would not be required or in late is cast in an automatic other words, if the plate could be cast sufiiciently accurate along its straight edges soas to dispense with hand finishin The plate is usually clamped onto the cyl inder along its curved edges so that absolute accuracy is not re uired on the strai ht edges of the plate. ut, nevertheless, it as beenimpossibl'e previous to this invention, to cast a plate so that its straight edges would The object of this'i-nventionis to overcome this difliculty and to arrange the par-ts so not have to'be finished up or touched up by hand. 5

that'one plate or-a plurality of plates can be I cast from the same ma trix and have (the straight thereof suificiently accurate so as 'tefr'e uire no hand finishing or practically no -.han finishing. This desira le object has been impossible with all revious r'nethods of clamping and holding t ie' matrix with which I am familiar. This difliculty can best be understood by referring to the first sheet of drawings forming part of this appli cation for patent in which,--

Figure 1 .is a fragmentary View of part of an- .ordinary flexible matrix. Fig. 2 is a sectio'nal View through one of the clamping or holding means for the straight edge of tin matrix, showing the matrix in place; Fig. 2 being on larger scale than Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is 'a view showin how the difficulty increases as succeeding p ates are cast. Fig. 4 is a sec tional view, through the bottom of the castin'g boxillustrating how a similar difliculty is encountered at the curved edge of the plate, and Fi 5 is a similar View il ustrating how the diculty increases as succeeding plates are cast.

Referring to this sheet of the drawings and in detail, M designates an ordinary flexible matrix. It is customary and the practice, at

the present time, to form a semi-cylindricalridge or bolster a around the printing face of the matrix so that a depression will be formed in the surface of the curvedv cast,

aroundthe type face of the plate, The clamping surfaces 5 of the matrix come outside-of this bolster; These clamping surfaces are always ty e-high or in other Words are always forme in the same plane with the ed so that the type face of the cast p at" typeface of the matrix. This bolster is ro- Will have a sharp edge so as to prevent the accumulation of ink on the edge of the printing face of the type. The depression is particularly needed along thestraight edges of the curved castplate;

In the customary practice, the straight edge of the matrix is held in the clamp or by. a sldestrip S, as indicated in 2, wherein the clam employed in the auto-plate is shown. he matrix when. in position, lies between the core or cylinder C and the semi cylindrical back B of the casting loox. The

matrix is clamped along its clamping surface usually close up to the bolster, as indicated. Then when the )late is cast, a small m. or ridge X is left along the plate, which fin nearlytyfe-high. This is what has to. he plane down or finished up to make the straight edges of theplate ready for use. As

successive casts; are made from these-me matrix, the matrix shrinks from the great straight edges of the cast plate is required...

The curved edge oijthe matrix is set up to pins P and the curved edge of the matrix comes between an end. ring it and the hack B, as shown in Fig. 411 When the matrix rhrinks as succeeding casts are made, a fin Y will be left on the lower curved edge of the plate. Whilethis fin is not so objectionable as the fins X, as the curved edges of the plate are finished in preparing the for the cylinder, it still is objectionable as it inal.

more Work for the finishing tool which finishes the lower curved edge of the plate.

This finishing tool is usually merely a revolvcraper.

in s

The hand finishin of the curved cast late I b I along its straight edges, which is a necessary incident of the present practice, is ob'ectionable as above stated on account of t e time required to dress up the plate. I have discovered that this objection can be obviated by forming the matrix with its clamping surfaces in a plane offset from the type face of the matrix and by making these ofi' set clamping surfaces form the holster. In other Words, I make a bolster which has a fiat surface above the plane of the ty .c face of the matrix, which surfaces are ad itionally utilized for clamping surfaces. By doing this and by backin up the off-set clamping surfaces in the mold, no line it ill be cast no mattor how much the matrix shrinksin the cart ingrof successive plates.

he invention will he understood by re ierrin to the accomoan in drawin s i'or.=.n- J D C struction oi the sides of the chase.

senses ing part oithls application for patent. In said drawings, Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, have already been described. 4

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a chase with a form ol type locked therein, the-chase being modi lied or constructed to embody my invention. Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10, inclusive, are sectional views taken along the lines 77, 88, .9-9 and 1010 of Mg. 6, illustrating the con- Fig. 11. is a face view of a matrix prepared on the chase vand form of type illustrated in Fig. (5. 121's a sectional. view taken on tholinc 12-12 of 11, on double the sol said Fig. 11. Fig. 3.2" is a View sini L illustrating the matrix alter has been trimmed. big. 18 is a sectional view through the matrix taken on the line 1b--l3 of Fig. 11, of double scale relatively to Fig. 11. if-ig. 13 is a, view similar to big. 13 ol the me rix after the samelias been trimmed. Fig. 14 is a view similar to l ig. 2, illustrating the Way my improved form ol matrix is placed in the casting box and the improved a view similar to Fig. 4: illustrating the position of the parts after the matrix shrinks. big. 16 is a View si iilar to lil 4, illustrating the Way my improved matrix is held at its cur i lower edge Fig.1. 1? is a similar view illustrating Y at happens after the matrix shrinks. l3 is a perspective. view illustrating modified form of matrix which is made to embody my improvement, and iiigs. 19 to i l, indusivo, are views siini to Fig. llustraling modiiiraitions.

rring to '5 6, l0 dcsignales an ordinary rectangular chase modified for the practls oi'mv'irovement. "lho sanu is provided adjustable by screws 12. 13 designates the side stick which has wcdge shaped projections 14 formed along one side thereof. l5 designates the adjustable strip which formed with wedges 16 cooperating with the Wedges 14.. The adjustingstrip .15 can he slid in the chase by the usual adjusting screw 17. The form of type F is placed in the 'chase and the screws 12 and 17 are adjusted so that the form of ty'pcwill be locked tightly therein. As shown in the drawings,

the upper and lel'thand sides of the chase are provided along their -inner edges with a depression 18, which depression is of a width equal to the Width of the des red clamp ng surface and the bottom of-whlch'depression is flat, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8. in ther words, thesesi'des of the chase are formed with a depressed inner fiat surface standing on lane below the )lane of the face of tho. s

type or the type plane. The foot-stick l1 is with a similar depression 19, ea

shown in Fig. 9. The side stick 13 is also i lded with a snnilar depmsslon 20, as

.1. in Fig. 1D. niall grooves ill a is for holding the same therein. l ig. 15

with a' loot-sticlr 11 which is lie ' of the matrix.

erases usually cut around the sides of the chase, as indicated, so as to form cutting lines for trimming upthe matrix.

' The matrix M is taken and beaten onto the type form and chase in the usual manner and dried in contact therewith. The matrix is which are formed therein, by the'grooves' This will leave 21 in thesides of the chase. the matrix with plane clamping surfaces or strips 24 along its head and foot or along what is commonly termcd'the straight edges The matrix is then trimmed along one of the lines 25 harmed by one of the grooves 21 in one of the long sides of the chase, so as to have the longitudinal section shown in Fig. 13*. The other end of the matrix is left untri'mmed so as to come under the'ring or protecting piece which isused at the top or pouring end of the mold. The matrix can be placed on the form and chase so that either the upper or lower side thereof,- as indicated in Fig. 1 1, may contain the long strip which lays underthe pouringrin'g-of the box or under the riser which is cast on the plate. This will make a new form of matrix which, as hereinafter described, will cast a late without any of the objectionable fins.

-f the matrix is to be used in the side clamps shown in Fig. 4, the side clamps are modified by adding a metallic face or packing 26 to. the stationary jaw thereof and by cutting'away the movable jaw as indicated in Fig. 14. By this arrangement, it will beseen that the corner 27- of the matrix between the clampin surface 24 and thetype surface thereof w' practically form a bolster which will .make a small dcpressionin the late so that the ed e of the type' face of the p ate will be sharp, t

will also be noticed'that the clamping plane or surface of the matrix thus comes above the typeface of the plateor isofY-set from the inside of the-back towards the center of the box. As the "matrix shrinks with suc-'- cessive casts, as indicated inF i .--15, the con- Fig. 15.

necting surface 27 will sim y pull away from the metallic face'26 an the clamping -surface 24 will move down in the clamp thus making the depression 511..the plate at its type edge somewhat. deeper but-still never leaving the fin. This action is illustrated in The bottom of the .mold or the edge thereof against which the lower curved edge of the matrix'is to. rest is also provided with a small semi-cylindrical aching 28, as indicated in Fig. 16. 'lhis pac ring fits in the clampin surface whirh' is formed at the lower e ge, of the plate. As the matrix packing piece 30, as shown in Fig.

shrinks, as shown in Fig. 1 7, no fin will be cast on the lower edge of the plate as the lower curved clamping edge of the matrix will merely pullup on the packing 28. Thus,

a plate can be cast without fins and the v straight edges of the plate can be cast sufiiciently accurate to do away practically with above improvedorm of matrix may also be advantageously employed. in hand boxes; that is, in boxes which are formed-simply with side bars dfnd in which the matrix-is not held by clamps alon' itsstraightedges.

A matrix provide with the improvedbolster or clamping surfaces previously described, if the matrix is to carry its own packing along thebolster, may be used in any ordinary hand casting boxes provided the side bars of the box are cutout so that they will" 0 around the holster, as shown in Fig. 19. nlthis arrangement, is-shown the old-fashioned side bar 29 which lifts out. I If, however, a packing for. the bolster is used which is part of. the casting chamber instead of a part of the matrix itself, this 'packirg can be fastened to the parts of the casting chamber unless the plate is to be slid out axiallyof the casting box. W'hcnthis arrangement desired and when it is desired to remove the plate in the ordinary way, the packing 30 for the bolster is left loose as indicated in Fig. 20, in which figure is shown a partial sectional yiew of a hand box employing hinged side ars.

To overcome-the objection ofusing a loose packing may be made part of the hinged side ar, as indicated at 31 in Fig.- 21. In this modification, the packing 31 formed interall with the side bar is tapered where it ts te ends of the back'so that the parts can easily turn on the ivot.

In Fig. '22 a so ing 32 is shown as loosely,

20 the connected to t e pivoted side bar by ins 33 which fit in; slots in the side bar. n this modification, when the side bar is tinned out, the packing will move on the side-bar to release the matrix.

- In Fig. 23 a packing 34 is shown as made in the form of a supplemental side bar independently pivoted to. the back.

In Fig. 24 a packing 35 is employed which I lvjimy oivher forms 01? mechanism may be for cl mping 01 holding; smatrif; zn'zus to body my ii'npr-fn ement 0031, Without iiiepariing fibril *ention e i'zi's ing thus in.

e of

claim and uesiia t iezziirilo curved matrix havi strips. 01 surmces engage the cl -.mpin to hold the 0 casting box.

wit .mbrix 1 Wing side, bar strip or same in $01. 7 fitifi]! with 1; matrix 11 aving or my n in (i 1; mm above in; having a in? holding m nip or surface,

is I Liza 0i in the printing mince;

A matrix having ciacmpin sur'ac I along 15s straight and Qui'v offset frcm the printing surface, the ing surface netween the clamping sin in: type suigiace oi the matrix foiiming gaboister.

4. A fiexibi s cm'vei'i matrix having si -m1 ing strips 01' surfaces along its straighi and curved ed ss, the elements of which surfs es strip 0i ed edges are affset 17mm and elbow the correspom ing pam'ailsl elements in the printing surface, the soimecting surface between t me clamping surfaee and the type" surfalca of the matrix foin'iiiw a curved boister.

'i mmbilmtion with a matrix havr'mg a clamping strip or sui'fsc in a plane above the. printing plane, .oii a pasking for making the difii'erenceof level.

6. A matrix hsving a clamping strip 01 surface along'its "straigjiit -edge a plane above the pnriting' piimm and a casting box ace and.

side bar, of D sizing for miiiing Um matrix:

in 11h casting; 1103;, he sine hm- :md packing; being; i'sizitiiv moiwiiilix 10.,1 curved st. icoiiyp mislii'ig 1m); comp prising: mm, a sembcyiimiricni hack and a clamping iiwviuo a; side strip For holding the straight 0i .1 mm I along :L su H1100 of;

box;

"ei'v i pe casting; box (:OIH- semiwylindiicnl buck {ind a. i420 ship and uiiing i m hiiiiii'ng Hie straight; edge a in: 11K 1110115 :2. s-vm-i'aice isea Tr m the inside of the back in towards the center 01" $110110);

In tvstimony' whereof .T have hereunto set my hand, in Hi0 PYPHHCC ui' two subscriigiing Witnesses.

the Center 01 'L ll. A curved PI'RSHV :1 com,

Vi". JOM ES. Witnesses C. J. Reszumsozq,

ROBERT @TLS.

lune above A, 

